Prokupchuk, a Russian interior ministry veteran, had been widely tipped to win. His victory would have been a massive boon for the Kremlin, which has tried to issue international arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin's critics in the past.

Prior to the Interpol vote, US Senators Marco Rubio, Roger Wicker, Jeanne Shaheen, and Chris Coons, described Russia's candidacy as "akin to putting a fox in charge of the henhouse," according to USA Today.

A separate group of bipartisan senators, including Chuck Schumer, Amy Klobuchar, Dianne Feinstein, and Sheldon Whitehouse also wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing their "grave concern" with Prokupchuk's candidacy.

Bill Browder, one of Putin's most outspoken enemies and for whom Moscow has requested international arrest warrants, said in response to Prokupchuk's defeat: "Reason prevails in this dark world."